Mystery City #7: What Southern California City is This?

Mystery City #7: Where is this beach in southern California? (Luis Gomez Photos)

Here is Mystery City #7 from Luis’ photo collection. Where is this beach-front location in southern California? Is it in Los Angels or Orange County? Choose from one of five choices in our weekly reader poll of mystery cities; we will give you the answer on Friday. The first six mystery cities were Caracas, Valparaiso, Sydney, Bratislava, La Paz and Santiago.

Sorry, too obscure. That spire is on top of a 16-story French Gothic-style structure that was the second-tallest building in southern California for several decades.

Other clues: the absence of mountains in the background with the ocean on the left rules out one of the choices, and the absence of train tracks, bluffs, or highways separating the buildings from the sand in the middle ground rules out three other choices. The prominent leftward hook of the coast, with the substantial skyline behind it, confirms the remaining choice.